Skip to main content

Lightolier

Founded in 1904 in New York and family-operated through most of its history, Lightolier was one of the pioneering American electric lighting companies, best known for its embrace of stylistic and technical innovations.

Collectors focus on vintage Lightolier lighting fixtures produced from the 1950s and into the 1970s, when an in-house design team led by Gerald Thurston — and a stellar cast of international design contributors — created an array of practical yet aesthetically lively table lamps, floor lamps, sconces and chandeliers.

Amidst the post-World War II building boom, Lightolier — the name combines “light” and “chandelier” — aggressively boosted its residential lighting division. Thurston, who was strongly influenced by the sleek designs of Gino Sarfatti and his Italian lighting firm Arteluce, towards simpler lamp designs that offered flexibility of function. His best-known designs include the Cricket task light — a lamp with an adjustable enameled metal hood that toggles on a slender bent-metal base — and the three-legged Tripod floor lamp. At the same time, Thurston had a wonderful eye for talent and sought work from some of the lesser-known greats of the era, such as Paavo Tynell, the Finnish lighting designer, who designed several brass chandeliers for Lightolier with his trademark elegant flamboyance.

And more, Thurston recognized abilities in designers not known for their work in lighting.

Edward Wormley, head of furniture design for Dunbar, produced several noteworthy chandeliers employing canisters and reflective hoods. Alvin Lustig was famed as a graphic designer. His ca. 1953 Ring ceiling fixture for Lightolier had a minimalist techno look some 30 years ahead of its time. But this was par. Designed by Michael Lax in 1964, the Lytegem high-intensity lamp — included in the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art — features a ball-shaped shade attached with a chromed armature to a cubic base, a form that would be widely copied in the following decade. Chandeliers designed in the early 1970s by Gaetano Sciolari, with details such as acrylic diffusers and vertical, two-bulb arms, would define the look of lighting in their day.

A look through these pages reveals just how astonishingly wide a range of lighting pieces Lightolier produced. The company never flicked off its stylistic switch.

Find a collection of vintage Lightolier lamps and other lighting fixtures on 1stDibs.

10
to
10
10
10
10
9
10
8
2
7
1
2
9
4
3
2
2
8
8
2
2
149
83
75
60
34
Creator: Lightolier
Dealer: WYETH
Brass Adjustable Pendant
By Lightolier
Located in Sagaponack, NY
A fine brass adjustable ceiling fixture having a perforated dome shade and ring handle.
Category

1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Lightolier

Materials

Brass

1950s Italian Perforated Wall Sconce by Lightolier
By Lightolier
Located in Sagaponack, NY
An uncommon wall sconce with a perforated tube core surrounded by a solid tube shade. Original white and black paint. Original Lightolier sticker and stamped "C529A".   
Category

1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Lightolier

Materials

Metal

1960s Enameled Metal Uplight by Lightolier
By Lightolier
Located in Sagaponack, NY
A cylindrical off-white enameled floor / desk uplight by Lightolier.
Category

1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Lightolier

Materials

Metal

1950s Black Enameled Steel & Brass Floor Lamp by Gerald Thurston for Lightolier
By Lightolier, Gerald Thurston
Located in Sagaponack, NY
Black enameled steel floor lamp with three brass arms holding a perforated steel reflector and shade.
Category

1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Lightolier

Materials

Brass, Steel

1950s Torchère Floor Lamp by Gerald Thurston for Lightolier
By Gerald Thurston, Lightolier
Located in Sagaponack, NY
Classic uplight torchère floor lamp with three vertical brass rods supporting a shallow brass bowl and wider glass shade. The base designed by Gerald Thurston with a textured, fire a...
Category

1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Lightolier

Materials

Brass

1970s Spiral Chandelier by Lightolier
By Lightolier
Located in Sagaponack, NY
A matte black metal ceiling fixture having straight slender arms extending outwardly from its vertical post in a spiral effect inspired by Poul Kjaerholm, circa 1960.
Category

1970s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Lightolier

Materials

Metal

1970s American Craftsman Style Walnut Floor Lamp by Lightolier
By Lightolier
Located in Sagaponack, NY
Four sided floor lamp evoking a Japanese Shoji screen. The frame of solid walnut set on an ebonized recessed plinth base with the frame havin...
Category

1970s American American Craftsman Vintage Lightolier

Materials

Birch, Walnut

1950s Modernist Chandelier by Edward Wormley for Lightolier
By Lightolier, Edward Wormley
Located in Sagaponack, NY
A well scaled and graphic modernist chandelier having a vividly lacquered steel dome and stem with three brushed aluminum conical uplights.
Category

1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Lightolier

Materials

Aluminum, Steel

Hanging Pendant Lamp
By Lightolier
Located in Sagaponack, NY
An adjustable patinated brass pendant having as shapely perforated shade and frosted glass diffuser with a brass ring pull. Recoiled cable is concealed in the canopy.
Category

1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Lightolier

Materials

Brass

Modernist Wall Lamp
By Lightolier
Located in Sagaponack, NY
An unusual and expressive wall lamp having a ribbed milk glass diffuser with thin patinated steel sides suspended from a curved plane of birch.
Category

1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Lightolier

Materials

Steel

Related Items
Strike, A Modern Adjustable Pendant Light Handcrafted in Solid Brushed Brass
By Current
Located in Bend, OR
Inspired by the simple form of a matchstick, Strike’s playful sophistication is born from simple geometric shapes combined with a refined sense of scale. A versatile light, Strike ca...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Lightolier

Materials

Brass

1970s Lightolier 16-Arm Chrome Sputnik Style Chandelier with Glass Shade , Usa
By Lightolier
Located in St- Leonard, Quebec
16 mouth blowed glass shade sitting on a deep chrome finish structure from Lightolier. Each shade measure 5 in. diameter. Solid, well made construction. Use 16 candelabra E12 s...
Category

1970s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Lightolier

Materials

Chrome

Large Gerald Thurston for Lightolier Brass, Iron and Glass Chandelier
By Lightolier, Gerald Thurston, Stilnovo, Gaetano Sciolari, Sciolari Lighting
Located in Houston, TX
Large Gerald Thurston for Lightolier brass, Iron and glass chandelier. Rare large Mid-Century Modern chandelier by Gerald Thurston for Lightolier. This stunning modernist chandelier...
Category

1950s North American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Lightolier

Materials

Brass, Iron

Spun Pendant in Polished Brass with Adjustable Drop light fixture
By Ladies & Gentleman Studio 1
Located in Brooklyn, NY
As if designing jewelry, Spun was created considered how each lighting component could complement the other to create tidy elegant compositions. Spun features a polished brass, matte black, or frosted glass shade, which encases an exposed globe light bulb...
Category

2010s American Lightolier

Materials

Brass

Gooseneck Floor Lamp Gerald Thurston
By Lightolier, Gerald Thurston
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Double Gooseneck floor lamp in the style of Gerald Thurston. The lamp features black-enameled brass, gooseneck stems, and is in good vintage condition. Three-way switch on stem allow...
Category

1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Lightolier

Materials

Metal, Brass, Enamel

  • Gooseneck Floor Lamp Gerald Thurston
  • Gooseneck Floor Lamp Gerald Thurston
  • Gooseneck Floor Lamp Gerald Thurston
  • Gooseneck Floor Lamp Gerald Thurston
H 68 in. W 11 in. D 16 in.
Spiraling Chandelier, Italy, 1970s
By Stilnovo
Located in New York, NY
Spiraling black metal structure holding fourteen white frosted glass globes throughout.    
Category

1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Lightolier

Materials

Metal

Italian Wall Lamp of the 1950s Attributed to Arredoluce by Angelo Lelli
By Angelo Lelli, Arredoluce
Located in Lyon, FR
Wall lamp of the 1950s attributed to the Italian publishing house Arredoluce and to the designer Angelo Lelli. Structure and solid brass, lampshade in beige lacquered metal (original...
Category

1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Lightolier

Materials

Metal, Brass

1950s Fun Italian Pulcinella Ceramic Wall Lights
By ABC Bassano
Located in New York, NY
A colorful pair of manufactured Venetian ceramic wall lights in the shape of the Pulcinella character, with extensive details, gold rims for the cl...
Category

1950s Italian Vintage Lightolier

Materials

Enamel

1970s Lightolier Colorfull Aluminium Louvered Pendants , USA
By Lightolier, Simon Poul Henningsen, Preben Dahl
Located in St- Leonard, Quebec
Colorfull extruded , anodized aluminium pendant by Lightolier . Well made solid sturdy construction . Contain one E26 size ceramic socket rated at 60 watt . Come with five...
Category

1970s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Lightolier

Materials

Aluminum

Lightolier 3 Shade Pole Floor Lamp by Gerald Thurston
By Gerald Thurston
Located in Cincinnati, OH
A three headed adjustable Mid Century pole floor lamp with a black, gray and coral plastic shade. The metal pole is in a satin black with round bas...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Lightolier

Materials

Metal

Angelo Ostuni and Renato Forti Floor Lamp 399 in Metal and Iron by Oluce, 1960s
By Angelo Ostuni, Oluce, Renato Forti
Located in Montecatini Terme, IT
Floor lamp model 399 (from cornalux series) with structure in nickel-plated metal, lacquered metal and cast iron. The lamp bulb is adjustable in height achieved by a bracket that ...
Category

1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Lightolier

Materials

Metal, Iron

Midcentury Adjustable Milk Glass Pendant
Located in Praha, CZ
Vintage pendant light made of milk glass. The height is adjustable and it stretches up to 120 cm. There is a tiny chip on the glass (see photo). Overall the pendant is in good vintag...
Category

Mid-20th Century Czech Mid-Century Modern Lightolier

Materials

Metal

Previously Available Items
1950s Torchère Floor Lamp by Gerald Thurston for Lightolier
By Gerald Thurston, Lightolier
Located in Sagaponack, NY
Classic uplight torchère floor lamp with three vertical brass rods supporting a shallow brass bowl and wider glass shade. The base designed by Gerald Thurston with a textured, fire a...
Category

1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Lightolier

Materials

Brass

1950s Desk Lamp by Gerald Thurston for Lightolier
By Gerald Thurston, Lightolier
Located in Sagaponack, NY
An elegant 'Profile' desk lamp by Lightolier. Three brass rods with walnut accents cross stacked at the waist by a brass ring each extending upward to support three shallow enameled ...
Category

1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Lightolier

Materials

Brass

1960s Chandelier by Paavo Tynell for Lightolier
By Paavo Tynell, Lightolier
Located in Sagaponack, NY
An eight-arm (8) chandelier with eight (8) metal, conical shaped uplights on baskets.
Category

1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Lightolier

Materials

Metal

Hanging Cylindrical Glass Pendant Lamp
By Lightolier
Located in Sagaponack, NY
A well scaled cylindrical hanging pendant lamp having a clear etched glass shade encompassing an inner glass diffuser.
Category

1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Lightolier

Materials

Glass

Slatted Wall Sconce
By Lightolier
Located in Sagaponack, NY
An expressive and unusual wall light having two floating v-shaped walnut slats separated by a lacquered brass strip projecting horizontally from...
Category

1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Lightolier

Materials

Brass, Steel

  • Slatted Wall Sconce
  • Slatted Wall Sconce
  • Slatted Wall Sconce
  • Slatted Wall Sconce
H 6.5 in. W 20 in. D 5 in.
Tri-Color Tripod Desk Lamp by Gerald Thurston
By Gerald Thurston, Lightolier
Located in Sagaponack, NY
An exceptional table lamp with a brass tripod base supporting three shades of black, red and cream.
Category

1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Lightolier

Materials

Brass

Torchieres by Lightolier
By Paavo Tynell, Lightolier
Located in Sagaponack, NY
An uncommon and sculptural pair of brass torchieres having pedestal bases, distinctive knobs housing the switches, and conical hoods embellished with pin-hole perforations.
Category

1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Lightolier

Materials

Brass

  • Torchieres by Lightolier
  • Torchieres by Lightolier
  • Torchieres by Lightolier
  • Torchieres by Lightolier
H 59 in. Dm 10 in.
Wall Sconce By Lightolier
By Lightolier
Located in Sagaponack, NY
A rare wall sconce with a perforated tube core surrounded by a solid tube shade. Original white and black paint. Original Lightolier sticker and stamped "C529A".
Category

1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Lightolier

Materials

Steel

  • Wall Sconce By Lightolier
  • Wall Sconce By Lightolier
  • Wall Sconce By Lightolier
  • Wall Sconce By Lightolier
H 12 in. Dm 6 in.
clear globe chandelier by Lightolier
By Lightolier
Located in Sagaponack, NY
A clear globe chandelier with an eight (8) socket 'floating' chrome cylinder and finish.
Category

1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Lightolier

Materials

Steel, Chrome

Lightolier furniture for sale on 1stDibs

Lightolier furniture are available for sale on 1stDibs. These distinctive objects are frequently made of metal and designed with extraordinary care. In our Lightolier collection, there are many options to choose from, although brown editions of this piece are particularly popular. In-stock we have 295 vintage editions of these items, while there is also 0 modern edition to choose from. Many of Lightolier's original furniture was created during the 20th century in Mid-Century Modern style in North America. Many customers also consider furniture from Laurel Lamp Company, Gordon & Jane Martz and Gerald Thurston if you are looking for additional options. The prices for Lightolier furniture can vary depending upon size, time period and other attributes. Price for these items starts at $249 and tops out at $21,000, while pieces like these can sell for $2,217 on average.
Questions About Lightolier
  • 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022
    Lightolier was founded in 1904 by Bernhard Blitzer and the name is a combination of the words “light” and “chandelier.” Lightolier specializes in elaborate and decorative chandeliers, but they also produce a style of lamps that combine functionality with a lively aesthetic. Browse a collection of Lightolier lamps on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022
    Yes, Lightolier is still in business. Founded in 1904 and made popular by its electric lighting designs, Lightolier, a contraction of the words light and chandelier, can still be found in stores today. You can also shop Lightolier goods from some of the world’s top sellers on 1stDibs.

Recently Viewed

View More